Liberal Groups Set Up Hotline For Forged Letters

Jack Bonner
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Supporters of action on climate change are still working to make hay out of those forged letters, sent by a Washington lobbying firm opposing a recent climate change bill.

The National Wildlife Federation, Sierra Club, American Progress Action Fund, the NAACP and the AAUW, a women’s rights group, have set up a “hotline” where callers can leave tips about forged letters and other suspected trickery by industry lobbyists, reports The Hill.

The NAACP and AAUW were among the groups under whose names the forged letters purported to be sent. In reality they were sent by Bonner and Associates, on behalf of its client, a coal industry group.

The paper adds:

Representatives of the groups said they would lobby Congress to toughen grassroots lobbying laws to discourage groups from faking letters to Congress, although they provided few specifics about a possible fix.

Hilary Shelton, vice president for advocacy and director of NAACP’s Washington bureau, also urged Congress to hold public hearings that examine the forgeries.

The number of the hotline is 1-866-363-4648.

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